CCA (aka Co-Curricular Activities) is not a foreign term for many of us who grew up under the Singaporean education system. CCAs are activities that are held beyond class time. They are a key component of the students' holistic education, allowing students to discover their interests and talents, develop their character and deepen their sense of belonging (Source: Ministry of Education).
Unlike secondary school, there is a plethora of CCAs offered to you in Poly. We sat down with 5 seniors during the Poly Preparation Programme in March and heard from them how they came to be part of their CCA, how their experience has been and what were some of their takeaways! Here are 6 things you can consider when choosing a CCA in Poly!
1) Leveling Up
Durgaes, a Singapore Polytechnic year 2 Civil Engineering student, shared about how joining SP ACER, SP's secondary school outreach CCA, has helped him in growing his leadership experience.
He believes that his experience in CCA will benefit him when he joins the workforce. "When future employers see your portfolio, they won't doubt your potential in growing the organization, since you have already done so in your CCA," Durgaes added.
Xin Yu, a Nanyang Polytechnic graduate, joined the National Youth Achievement Award (NYAA) Club in year 2 so that she could 'zeng' (spice up) her portfolio. NYAA Club is a CCA that helps students in their journey in attaining the different levels of the award.
Through this CCA, she had the opportunity to lead a project, which is something she has never done before. No doubt, having an established portfolio filled with leadership experiences makes you stand out among the crowd. Consider how the CCA can value-add to your life and your portfolio.
2) Commitment
One of the most common concerns that students have when taking up a CCA is the level of commitment required. Generally speaking, Sports and Performing Arts CCAs have a higher commitment as compared to Clubs, Societies and Leadership CCAs. Timothy Moses (Tim), a SP graduate, was once part of the Dragon Boat CCA in SP. He shared the intense training he had to go through.
"During off-seasons, training was held three times a week. Then, it was slowly built up to five times a week, then seven times a week, which included double training on the weekends," Tim recounted. Two months before competitions, training will even be increased to two times a day, once in the morning before classes and once after classes.
That being said, this intense commitment is not for most of the CCAs. CCA commitments vary due to the nature of the CCA and your role in it. However, if you wanna give yourself a challenge, CCAs like this might be suitable for you.
If you have been wanting to join a CCA but you're unsure about their commitment levels, you can always drop them a DM on Instagram and ask them what the commitment is really like! Decide according to how much you are willing to commit, don't take up a CCA that is more than what you can bear.
Distance Learning School GIF By BrainPOP
3) Interests
For Xing Qing, her love for Korean culture (K-pop idols in particular 😉 ) led her to joining the Korean Culture Club in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. The NP Mass Comm graduate has been part of her CCA for most of her Poly life and at one point she was appointed as the Publicity Head, leading her team to manage the CCA's social media account.
Being able to do what you love, meeting people with similar interests and earning CCA points at the same time, what's not to hate about that? Picking a CCA that interests you helps you to be able to destress and take a break from studies.
4) Connections and friendships
A takeaway that most of the seniors mentioned was meeting friends and making connections through CCAs. Durgaes mentioned how it can benefit him in the future, like getting "lobang" (good deals) for things like computer repair.
The people that you will meet through CCAs differ from you more often than not. Inevitably, you will need to learn how to relate with others. Some of these people that you meet may also become your lifelong friends that you can rely on beyond your years in Poly.
Best Friends Korean GIF By DIVE Studios
5) Character Development
Jobelisha (Joe), a SP graduate, shared how being in SP Symphonic Band has shaped his character. Being in a band, every member will need to work together to make a piece sound pleasant. This meant that Joe had to be intentional to practice to sharpen his instrumentation and gain familiarity with the pieces for performance. He learns to be a team player and knows the importance of practice over the years of being in band.
Go Team Meeting GIF By New Girl
Tim also shared that the intense training has led him to be disciplined in his daily life. In fact, it was during the most intense training period where he excelled in his studies.
Being in a CCA has also helped Tim to build resilience, something that helped him through his tough times during his army days and even now as he pursues a University degree.
6) Skills Development
Be it soft skills or hard skills, these are acquired not through studying, but through experiences. For Xin Yu, she picked up many skills when she was in the NYAA Club.
One skill that was particularly helpful was cooking. Being in an overseas university meant that she had to take care of her own meals, and that is where her cooking skills came in handy.
Durgaes also picked up communications skills during his time in CCA. Working with other members and leading activities required him to sharpen the way he communicates. No matter where he goes, attaining such skills gives him an edge above others.
Ultimately, your studies should still take priority in your time in Poly. However, joining a CCA makes your time here in Poly more worthwhile.
We hope that these things can help you make a decision on whether to join a CCA and that you will be able to learn and grow in whichever CCA you choose!
At Poly Parcel, your seniors are here for you! We want to navigate Poly life together with you to make your Poly experience a better one.
Got a question to ask about Poly? Or just need someone to talk to about your worries and problems? Chat with us on Telegram now!
